Two guilty in murder-for-hire plots

A 26-year-old Ray Township woman and 31-year-old Oak Park man were found guilty by a jury Tuesday for their roles in two attempts to try to kill an Armada Township woman engaged in an acrimonious divorce.

Christina “Chrissy” Sears, who had been free on bond, was immediately escorted to the Macomb County Jail as she likely faces at least 15 years in prison on convictions of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and solicitation of murder, both punishable by up to life in prison.

David A. Clark, who was being held on bond, was convicted of conspiracy to commit first-degree degree murder and home invasion, and also likely faces 15 years or more.

The pair were the third and fourth defendants of five who were arrested one year ago this month for hatching two plots to kill Jessica Sears, 32, who was in the midst of a divorce with Kevin Sears.

Advertisement

Assistant Macomb prosecutor William Dailey has tried four defendants in three trials.

“Thanks to law enforcement doing good and thorough investigative work and acting quickly — they jumped on it fast — a woman’s life was saved,” Dailey said. “These people were determined to have this woman murdered.”

The verdicts arrived after more than four hours of jury deliberations over two days and a week-long trial in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens.

After the jury read the verdict, Dailey was hugged by Jessica Sears’ father. The approximately one dozen supporters of Christina Sears were visibly shaken by the verdict. Sears, who has seven siblings, comes from a close-knit family.

“There wasn’t any verbal outbursts, but there was some crying and sobbing,” Dailey said.

Dailey acknowledged all of the convicted defendants face long prison terms despite nobody being harmed or killed, but he noted that if they had been successful and convicted, they would be facing sentences of life without parole.

Sears’ attorney, Ben Gonek, could not be reached for comment.

Clark’s attorney, Michael Dennis, said after the verdict that his client did not receive a fair trial due to the all-white jury, a situation that may be argued on appeal. His motion for a new trial based on that argument after the jury was selected was denied by Judge John Foster. Dennis noted there was only one black juror among the pool of 65 prospective jurors from which the panel was chosen. Clark is black.

“If we have 8 to 10 percent of Macomb County black, why can we only get one juror in the pool?” Dennis asked.

Dailey said Dennis failed to show bias. “His motion showed no systematic discrimination,” he said.

Another potential appeal issue is the judge denying Dennis’ request for the jury to consider that Clark “withdrew” and/or “abandoned” his plan to kill, Dennis said. But Dailey noted that the conspiracy charge only required that Clark agree with the plot. In fact, the withdrawal defense requires the defendant to take steps to prevent the plot from progressing.

“He could have went to police and told them, ‘There’s people that are trying to kill this lady,’” Dailey said.

Sears was involved with co-defendants in the hiring of Clark, who along with Jorden Powell was paid $1,000 by convicted codefendant Mallorie Wilson-Strat and was to receive another $14,000 from life insurance proceeds.

Clark and Powell broke into Jessica Sears’ home March 23, 2011. Clark walked up to her bedroom door and reached out, but said he changed his mind and pulled back his hand, although Dailey argued that Clark turned the knob but was thwarted by a child safety device on the handle.

“Why would you reach for the door handle” if he had changed his mind?” Dailey said.

Sears’ solicitation charge resulted from contributing $400 of the $500 down payment made to undercover sheriff’s Sgt. John Glass posing as a hit man. She met with Glass twice at the Comfort Inn Suites hotel in Warren, where she worked, once with Wilson-Strat and once with her friend and codefendant, Bashar Mansour, the fifth defendant who faces a May 8 trial.

Both Sears and Clark’s involvement were backed by their own statements and text messages. In her written statement, Sears said the plan elevated from harming to murdering Jessica Sears.

“Her written statement said, ‘It turned to killing,’” Dailey said.

Clark’s incriminating text messages were made from his girlfriend’s phone, but Dailey attributed them to him.

Although Kevin Sears has not been charged, Glass testified that the case is still under investigation.